A portion of the 3,5-bis(phenylethynyl)benzil (10.87 grams, 0.0265 mole), 1,3-diphenylacetone (5.90 grams, 0.0281 mole), anhydrous 1-propanol (300 milliliters) and anhydrous toluene (17 milliliters), both of which had been sparged with dry nitrogen, were added under a dry nitrogen atmosphere to a predried 500 milliliter glass three neck round bottom reactor containing a predried magnetic stirring bar. The reactor was additionally outfitted with a fan cooled spiral condenser and a thermometer with thermostatically controlled heating mantle. Stirring and heating commenced, and once a refluxing clear light yellow colored solution formed, benzyltrimethylammonium hydroxide (40 percent in methanol) (0.91 gram) was added, immediately inducing a dark red color. After maintaining the reflux for 20 reactant had been achieved. After a cumulative 30 minutes of reaction, the heating mantle was removed from the reactor, and the stirred contents were maintained at 24° C. for the next 16 hours. The product was recovered via filtration through a medium fitted glass funnel. The product cake on the funnel was washed with two portions (50 milliliters) of 1-propanol, then dried in a vacuum oven to provide 11.84 grams (76.4 percent isolated yield) of 4-(3,5-bis(phenylethynyl)phenyl)-2,3,5-triphenylcyclopentadienone (unsymmetrically substituted 3,5-AAB monomer) as a dark red purple colored crystalline product. HPLC analysis revealed the presence of the desired product at 100 area percent. The product's identity was confirmed by 1H NMR and El MS analysis.
